I don't know why, but I've been feeling blah lately. In my mind, there's no reason because it's spring, my favorite time of year. But in reality, there have to be reasons. So I've been thinking, pondering, praying. Here's what I've come up with:
I've got too much on my plate and am feeling overwhelmed. Plain and simple.
So in an effort to renew my spirit and regain my joy in the Lord, I decided to pick up Desiring God by John Piper again. I've read it a number of times, each time it speaks to my soul. So far this time, I've read the preface and the introduction. Here are some tidbits:
The older I get, the more I am persuaded that Nehemiah 8:10 is crucial for living and dying well: "The joy of the LORD is your strength." As we grow older and our bodies weaken, we must learn from the Puritan pastor Richard Baxter (who died in 1691) to redouble our efforts to find strength from spiritual joy, not natural supplies. He prayed, "May the Living God, who is the portion and rest of the saints, make these our carnal minds so spiritual and our earthly hearts so heavenly, that loving him and delighting in him, may be the work of our lives." When delighting in God is the work of our lives, there will be an inner strength for ministries of love to the very end.
The hope of heaven brought him (Richard Baxter) joy and joy brought him strength, and so...like the apostle Paul himself...he was astoundingly enabled to labor on.
God remains gloriously all-satisfying.
Our exceeding joy is HE, the LORD - not the streets of gold, or the reunion with relatives or any blessing of heaven. [Our faith] does not reduce God to a key that unlocks a treasure chest of gold and silver. Rather it seeks to transform the heart so that the Almighty will by your gold and choice silver to you." (Job 22:25)
The deepest and most enduring happiness is found only in God. Not from God, but in God.
The chief end of man is to glorify God BY enjoying him forever.
So bottom line: I may be experiencing the blahs, but I can still enjoy God. There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still.
4 comments:
I am one of the few people who have never read Desiring God. I will put that on my list just after a few others I have.
Gee, I never think of sweet, always bright and cheerful, Phyllis feeling blah... seems like you are looking in the right direction for encouragement. Remembering all of the happiness and joy you have brought to others should also warm your heart!
Thanks for sharing! Very refreshing.
I think "The joy of the Lord" is our strength. No need to feel blah, but we do at times. We all like to be on the "mountaintop" but like Dottie Rambo's song "In the valley, He restoreth my soul" There is a song for everything! Good talk with you last night. Mother
This was precious sweet water for my soul, Phyllis. Thank you.
Love you!
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